Part 2: Process Portfolio

All this information is taken directly from the Visual Arts Guide 2016 and the web site inthinking: http://www.thinkib.net/visualarts/page/16909/part-2-process-portfolio

The Process Portfolio (PP) is 40% of the final mark and is the evidence of the student's artistic journey during the course. It is not intended to be of polished, refined, or even resolved work; final work is presented for the Exhibition, not the process. The PP is a collection of carefully selected materials which document your experimentation, exploration, manipulation and development of a variety of visual arts activities during the two-year course.

Citations

Of course, other people's images and writing must always be cited. Even images from a National Geographic need to be cited. But did you know that you also need to cite YOUR OWN WORK?! "For every image...Students must ensure their original work is identified in the same way..." You should write 'my own work' for the artist name. If a work is under development and without a title, then "untitled work under development" would suffice, but something more descriptive would be more useful such as "as yet untitled work exploring distorting the human form" (copied directly from IB advice).

Requirements for Process Portfolio Slides

• Upload onto IBIS as a PDF document (maximum size = 50MB)

• SL: 9-18 screens that show evidence of two art-making forms: 2-D, 3-D, Lens-based.

• HL: 13-25 screens that show evidence of three art-making forms: 2-D, 3-D, Lens-based. 

  • Written work must be easily read by the examiner (without having to zoom in). 

• Use a combination of scanned journal pages or partial pages, photos, images, text (handwritten and/or typed).

• Use Powerpoint, Keynote or Google Slides and make the slides throughout the course. Make sure every slide has a good balance of written and visual evidence.  

• Order your screens to show a logical progression of your work. Title each screen so it is clear to the examiner what criteria they are assessing (eg 'Skills, Techniques & Processes', 'Critical Investigation', 'Reviewing and Refining', 'Reflection' etc). 

• Remember that Criterion A: Skills, Techniques and Processes is worth 12 marks - twice as many as the other criteria - so create plenty of pages showing your experiments with different media, techniques and processes.    

• Make sure you include referencing for all your images and information!!! Write the source directly under the image on each slide and include a list of sources at the end (on a separate slide).

• No links to videos or GIFs are allowed, only screenshots. 

Examiner's Report May 2020:

Stronger portfolios tend to focus on fewer works from the candidate's collection (around four to five works most often) and are thereby able to show more of the ideation, experimentation, processes, refinements and reflections in detail and with thoroughness.... Often, mid-range submissions tended to attempt to cover too many of the candidate's artmaking undertakings shallowly rather than focusing on works in greater depth. This strategy often results in candidates failing to address all the assessment criteria with the same attention. 

Referencing Images

Link to my page about citing using MLA format

Showing a Variety of Forms

You must show experimentation of at least two (SL) or three (HL) art-making forms from this table:

A: Skills, Techniques and Processes (12 marks)

To what extent does the portfolio demonstrate: sustained (in-depth) experimentation and manipulation of a range of skills, techniques and processes, showing the student’s ability to select and use materials appropriate to their intentions?

Evidence to include:

• Drawings, sketches and designs

• Preliminary paintings and small studies

• Photographic contact sheets and test prints

• Computer screenshots

• Photographic record of sculptural processes

B: Critical Investigation (6 marks)

To what extent does the portfolio demonstrate: The students critical investigation of artists, artworks and artistic genres, communicating a growing awareness of how this investigation influences and impacts upon their own developing art-making practices and intentions.

Evidence to include: 

• Annotated images of other artists’ works

• Experiments with using the style or technique of an artist

• Producing copies of works “after” a particular artist

• Written reflections on the connections between an investigated artist and your own work

In the example below the student has critically investigated a drawing by Van Gogh by analyzing it and annotating the original drawing, and then copying details of it to understand how he drew it. It's not necessary to spend hours copying the whole artwork. 

In the example below, the student has copied the original painting in order to learn the technique and how to mix the colours, and then applied the same technique to their own image of a skull.  

Hints and Tips:

• • Explore artworks relevant to your own art-making! This could be in terms of medium, style or technique.

  • Do not include biographical information about the artist (we don't need to know about Van Gogh's ear)

  • Deconstruct the work, pick it apart: look at the elements and principles, the colours, the composition. Why is it interesting to you? How has it influenced your ideas/process/ development? 

  • How does this artist influence your work?

  • Have the ideas or concepts explored been of particular interest to you, why?

  • Have the techniques or materials used by this artist influenced you? How?

  • Has the artist's style impacted your work in any way?

  • How do you feel you have responded to this artist's influence in your own work?

C: Communication of Ideas and Intentions - Visual AND Written (6 marks)

To what extent does the student demonstrate how their initial ideas and intentions have been formed and developed? How they have assimilated technical skills, chosen media and ideas to develop their work further?

Evidence to include:

• Concept maps of ideas and themes

• Research about the topic itself: statistics, info etc. 

• Planning imagery with annotations (notes) considering how meaning might be conveyed through the work

• Evaluations made throughout the progress of a work, resulting in changes in direction or imagery or technique

D: Reviewing, Refining and Reflecting - Visual AND Written (6 marks)

To what extent does the portfolio demonstrate the students ability to review (evaluate) and refine (improve) selected ideas, skills and processes and techniques, and to reflect on the acquisition of skills and their development as a visual artist?

Evidence to include: 

• Various trials of compositional arrangements

• Reworking imagery employing different techniques or media

• Evaluations made throughout the progress of a work, resulting in changes in direction or imagery or technique in order to improve/strengthen the message, the visuals etc. 

• In-depth reflection of completed work. Tips for writing a good reflection

E: Presentation and Subject-Specific Language (4 marks)

To what extent does the student ensure that information is conveyed clearly and coherently in a visually appropriate and legible manner, supported by the consistent use of appropriate subject-specific language?

Things to check:

• Balance of text and visuals

• Writing is legible

• Layout is considered

• Appropriate terminology is used

• Artists’ names and movements are spelled correctly.

• All images not your own (eg images from magazines, or printed from Internet) are clearly referenced

• Your own work is referenced: 'My own work - in progress, exploring.....', or 'My own work - fully resolved'